Binder



P 1936. w. o. SCHUKNECHT 2,053,052

' BINDER Filed Sept. 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MIL TEE L7. FEHUKNEUHT BY 6m {W WISHMM 5- ATTORNEYS p w. o. SCHUKNECHT 2,053,052

BINDER Filed Sept. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,29 35 I55 51A 1 J7 51 .Z

I Z 52 9 28 l INVENTOR. 7 ML TE? [7. SEHUKNECHT $77M V mu ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BINDER Application September 13, 1935, Serial No. 40,398 8 Claims. (01. 66-145) This invention relates to binders and more particularly to binders for circular knitting machines of the character commonly employed for knitting seamless socks.

When knitting these socks with an elastic thread knitted in the cuff portions of the socks to render them self-supporting on the leg of the wearer as employed in the so-called ankle socks, the binders heretofore used with these machines have not been able to effectively hold at all times the elastic thread, when out or severed following a knitting operation because the single clamping device or presser foot provided for all of the threads, including the elastic thread, closes simultaneously with the closing of the shear blade, and the elastic thread being under tension frequently snaps from under the presser foot before the latter is lowered against the bed plate to its thread clamping position. The other threads used in the regular knitting being non-elastic are effectively clamped by this foot member, but the elastic thread being stretched as it is knitted in the sock, is likely to snap back as soon as cut, and slip from under the foot member before the latter is brought to its final clamping position. Thus, the machine requires close attention of the operator, for the machine must be stopped to retrieve and rethread the elastic thread each time a slip occurs.

The general purpose and object of my invention is to provide a binder of the character referred to with an additional clamp operable independently of the regular clamp and serving to clamp the elastic thread against the bed plate of the binder in advance of severing the thread by the shear blade. Thus, no opportunity is afforded for the elastic thread to slip out of the binder as heretofore.

A further object of my invention is to lift the elastic thread clamp by the regular clamp when opening the latter and the shear mechanism, and thus enable the elastic thread to be entered under the elastic thread clamp and into the shear by the needles of the knitting machine on the completion of a knitting operation with respect to the elastic thread.

In lifting the elastic thread clamp by the regularthread clamp, the lever and cam action or motion provided for the regular clamp may be used for both clamps. I provide a lost motion connection between the two clamps, whereby the regular thread clamp may be raised and lowered to receive and clamp, respectively, the regular threads without affecting the clamping action of the supplemental clamp on the elastic thread.

Thus, the regular threads may be entered under their clamp and be cut by the shear as required in the knitting operations, without releasing the elastic thread, as the elastic thread clamp is not raised until the regular clamp is lifted to an extreme uppermost position.

In carrying out this last-mentioned function, it is an object of my invention to provide a cam lug on the cam drum of a character which will raise the regular clamp to this extreme position to open the elastic thread clamp and then retain the regular clamp raised until after the elastic thread clamp has closed in order that, said clamp will act to hold the elastic threadprior to severing such thread by the shear which closes simultaneously with the closing of the regular thread clamp.

In this way the operation of the two clamps is controlled and the shear'is prevented from outing the elastic thread before the supplemental clamp is down;

The invention consists further in the features hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the-binder shown applied to a circular knitting machine andequipped with the supplemental clamp of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the binder, the cam action being also shown;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken on the indirect line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows the shear mechanism of the binder at the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the binder, showing the manner in which the supplemental clamp is lifted by the regular thread clamp;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the position of the binder in its relation to the knitting needles of the machine; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cuff portion of a sock as knitted on the machine with the elastic thread lying on the inner surface of the cuff portion in circular courses and knitted in the cuff portion in certain of the wales in each course.

In the drawings, I indicates the bracket by means of which the binder is attached to and mounted on the knitting machine. 2 indicates the regular thread clamp of the binder. This clamp is in the form of a presser foot at the lower end of a slide 3 mounted for vertical movement in a guideway 4 provided in an upstanding part 5 of the bracket I as shown in Fig. 3.

The slide 3 is biased downwardly by a coiled spring 6 extending along the slide within the guideway 4 as shown in Fig. 3. The upper end of this spring is attached to the slide 3 by a pin 1 while the lower end of the spring is attached to the bracket by an anchoring pin 8. The-spring normally urges the slide downwardly and holds its presser foot 2 in clamping engagement with the horizontal bed plate 9 of the binder.

The bed plate 9 is supported below the bracket I, being secured to a downwardly depending portion I!) of the bracket at the front thereof. The bracket overhangs the portion of the bed plate to the rear of the connecting member I!) and thus provides the thread accommodating space of the binder.

The shear action associated with this space comprises a pair of cutting blades, the fixed .one being secured to the bed plate 9 along the right hand side edge when the parts are viewed as in Fig. 3. The movable blade I2 is pivoted to the bracket by screw |3 which fastens in the depending lug portion Ill.

The movable blade has a crank arm i4 disposed above the blade and said arm is connected with the outer end of an actuatinglever It: by av link IS. The lever I5 is fulcrumed between its ends, as at H, on the bracket I, and has its inner end connected by a rod l8 with the inner end of a shear blade l2,.simultaneously so as to raise the clamp 2 as the shear blade I2 is, opened and to close the clamp as said shear blade is closed, the slide 3 is provided with a laterally directed arm 26 extending over the outer end of the lever l5 and having an adjustable abutment in the form of set screw 21 to be engaged by the lever when actuated by the cam lugs on the drum 24. Thus when a thread is released for regular knitting,

the shear will be opened so as to sever the thread at the end of the knitting operation and at the same time the regular clamp 2 will be lowered by the spring 6 to hold the thread in the binder in readiness for engagement with the needles of the machine on resumption of the knitting with such thread.

The binder construction so far described is in common use and I will now refer to the features constituting my improvement.

To hold the elastic thread independently of the regular thread clamp 2, I provide an additional thread clamp 28. This clamp, like the regular one, is in the form of a presser foot at the lower end of a slide 29 mounted for vertical movement in parallel relation to the slide 3 in a guideway 30 provided in a plate 3| secured to the upright lug portion 5 of the bracket I over the closure plate 32 for the guideway 4. Fastening elements in the form of screws 33, as shown in Fig. 2, are provided for this purpose.

A contractile coil spring 34 is provided to :normally urge the supplemental clamp .28 downwardly andhold it in clamping engagement with the upper surface of the bed plate 9 at a position in advance of the regular clamp 2 as shown in Figs. 3'and 5. This spring has its upper end attached to a pin 35 on the slide 29 above the plate 3|. .The lower end of the spring is attached to an anchoring pin 36 adjacent the lower end of the plate 3|.

In order that upward movement imparted to the slide 3 may raise the slide 29, the latter is provided with an abutment in the upward path movement of the slide 3 when raised. 1 This abutment, in the particular embodiment shown in the drawings, comprises a lateral extension 31 in the form of an arm at the upper end with the slide 29 and an adjustable set screw 38 extending downwardly through the arm so as to be engaged by the slide 3 upon moving the latter to an extreme uppermost position as hereinafter referred to. When the two clamps are against the bed plate 9, the slide 3 is below and out ting machine in a position above the cylinder and its knitting needles. Fig. 1 illustrates the position of the binder with respect to the needle carrying cylinder, which in Fig, 1 is indicated generally at 39. In Fig. 6 I have shown diagrammatically the position of the binder, marked A, with respect to the knitting needles, marked 40 v and 4|, respectively. These needles are all of the same size and operate in the usual manner of a circular knitting machine to knit the courses in annular form and constituted of interlocking thread loops extending circumferentially about the tubular fabric portion produced.

In Fig. 61 have shown certain of the needles 2 slightly larger in diameter than the others. This is to indicate for the purpose of this disclosure the fact that the needles 4| which are the onesshown of larger diameter are selected out of the entire group of needles to knit in an elastic thread under a slight tension in the cuff portion of the sock in the manner indicated in Fig. '7. The jacks for the needles 4| are of a length to project these needles above the needles 40 so that the needles 4| will be lifted to engage the elastic thread when depressed into the range 01' the elevated needles 4| by the finger which controls the movement of this thread into and out of the needle range.

In the drawings, 42 indicates the elastic thread and 43 indicates its control finger. In a knitting operation, the elastic thread is incorporated in thread between its knitted connections with the cuff portion float across the intervening wales on the inner surface of the cuif portion as indicated in full lines in Fig. 7. The portions of the elastic thread connecting the terminal end of each course 45 with the beginning of an adjacent course also float on the inner surface of the cufl portion between the courses, as shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. '7, 41 indicates the leg portion of the sock which for illustration may be knitted by one of the regular body threads 48, 49 shown in Fig.

6. These threads also have control fingers 49, 49 for carrying the threads into and out of the range of the upper ends of the needles. The stitching or loop forming operation takes place between the binder and the control fingers at approximately the station indicated at B in Fig. 6. i This mechanism comprises the usual sinkers which cooperate with the needles to provide the loops as in knitting machines of the character herein referred to.

The elastic thread 62 is normally held clamped at the binder by the supplemental clamp 28. As this clamp is independent of the regular clamp 2 it is apparent that raising and lowering of the regular clamp to receive the regular knitting threads and to hold them in place at the binder when they are cut off by the shear blades will not affect the holding action of the clamp for the elastic thread.

Movement of the regular clamp and the shear blade I2 is controlled by the lugs 22 on the cam drum 24. These lugs have a height sumcient to operate the shear blade l2 and the regular clamp 2 within their prescribed range of movement without raising the elastic thread clamp 28 when the slide 3 is raised. It will be noted in Figs. 3 and 5 that the regular threads'dB pass over the elastic thread clamp 28. Thus, pulling out the regular threads by the needles from under the regular thread clamp 2 during the knitting of the various portions of the sock by the regular threads and returning said threads to the binder for cutting off" by the shear blades will not disturb the holding action of the elastic thread clamp on the elasticthread 62.

When the elastic thread is to be knitted in,.it is pulled out automatically from under the clamp 28 by the needles di. On completion of the knitting operation, the elastic thread d2 is raised by the finger 432i and the needles dl carry the thread into the binder for cutting off. As this occurs, the drum 26 which is rotating with the shaft 25, carries the cam lug 23 under the lever end 2i. As the first elevation a, which is on a greater radius than the elevation b, comes under the lever end 2 i, both clamps are raised to permit the elastic thread to enter beneath both clamps. The shear blade i2 is also opened at this time and the elastic thread is carried by the needles into the shear. The lever end 2! remains on the elevation 0. until the elastic thread is completely under both clamps and between the shear blades, whereupon the rotating drum carries the lower elevation b under the lever end 2| and the latter drops on the elevation b permitting the clamp 28 to be closed by its spring 361 to clamp the elastic thread in the binder before being cut off by the shear. Continued rotation of the drum drops the lever end off of the cam lug 23 and the clamp 2 is raised and lowered, the accidental displacement of these threads being prevented by the gravity clamp 5t which rests on the threads as the clamps 2 and 28 are opened and closed,

The clamp 50 is freely pivoted to lug ID and by its weight rests on the threads beneath it as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The dwells or elevations a, b of the cam lug 23 are provided by making the operative surface of the lug in stepped form as shown in Fig. 2. Thus, the dwell a which opens both clamps by moving the regular clamp to an extreme position, is in advance of the dwell b which allows the clamp 28 to close independently of the clamp 2 and the shear blade 12.

The extent of the movement of the thread clamp 2 independently of the clamp 28 by the lugs 22 is indicated by the full line positions of the parts in Figs. 3 and 5. When lug 23 is brought into operation, the clamp 2 is first lifted to an extreme open position, as indicated by the broken line 0, in Fig. 5 and the clamp 28 is raised to the position designated by the broken line d.

When the lever end 2| drops onto the dwell b, the clamps return to the positions shown in Fig. 5; the elastic thread clamp being closed, while the other clamp and the shear blade remain open as shown. When the lever end 2| drops oif of the lug 23, the parts assume the positions shown in Fig. 3 and the clamp 2 may be opened and closed in the action of the lugs 22 without lifting the clamp 28 to release the elastic thread 62. Thus, the clamp 2 and the shear may function as required during the changing and cutting off of the regular threads during the knitting of the various sections of the sock without releasing the elastic thread.

A coiled expansion 5! operates on the rod l8 to lower the outer end of the lever! 5 and to close the shear blade I2. This spring, as shown in Fig. 2, surrounds the rod l8 between its fixed guide 52 and the enlarged head at the upper end of the rod.

The advantages of an independent clamp for the elastic thread have been heretofore set forth. No opportunity is afforded for the elastic thread when out to slip out of the binder and thus the operator is not required to rethread the elastic through its control finger each time a slip occurs, as heretofore. Moreover, the improvement disclosed is simple in construction and operation and is readily and easily applied to a regular binder device as employed with the machines referred to.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and describedmay be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, except as pointed out in the annexed claims. Moreover, I do not wish to limit my improved binder to the specific knitting operation herein disclosed, as the improvement may be employed in connection with a binder used in the knitting of other fabric sections embodying an elastic thread in its construction.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a binder of the character described, comprising in combination, a pair of independently movable elastic and regular thread clamps, a shear action cooperable with both clamps, means for opening and closing the regular thread clamp and the shear action independently of the elastic thread clamp, means for opening the elastic thread clamp with the opening of the shear action and the regular thread clamp, and means for closing the elastic thread clamp in advance of the closing of the shear action.

2. In a binder of the character described, comprising in combination, a pair of independently movable elastic and regular thread clamps, a shear action cooperable with said clamps, means for opening and closing both clamps and the shear elastic thread clamp in advance of the closing of the shear action.

3. In a binder of the character described, comprising in combination, a pair of independently movable regular and elastic thread clamps, a shear action cooperable with both clamps, means for opening and closing the regular thread clamp and the shear action simultaneously and independently of the elastic thread clamp, means for opening the elastic thread clamp by the regular thread clamp on the movement of the latter to an extreme open position, and means for closing the elastic thread clamp in advance of the closing of the shear action. 4. In a binder of the character described, comprising in combination, a support, aregular thread clamp and an elastic thread clamp slidably mounted on said support, a shear action cooperable with both clamps, means for simultaneously opening and closing the regular thread clamp and the shear action independently of the elastic thread clamp, means carried by the elastic thread clamp and disposed in the path of opening movement of the regular thread clamp to open the former by the latter, and means for closing the elastic thread clamp in advance of the closing of the,

shear action.

5. In a binder of the character described, comprising in combination, a support, means providing guideways on said support, a regular thread clamp slidably mountedin one guideway, an elastic thread clamp slidably mounted in the other guideway, arms on the respective clamps, a shear action operatively connected with the arm of the regular thread clamp for simultaneous opening and closing movement therewith, an abutment carried by the arm of the elastic thread clamp and disposed in the path of opening movement of the regular thread clamp to open the elastic thread clamp by the regular thread clamp, said abutment being normally out of contact with the arm of the regular thread clamp to provide a lost motion connectionbetween said clamps, and

" aosaosa spring means for closing the elastic thread clamp.

6. In a binder of the character described, comprising in combination, a pair of independently movable regular and elastic thread clamps, a shear mechanism cooperable with said clamps, and means including a cam action for opening and closing both clamps and the shear mechanism, respectively, said cam action having dwells at different elevations, one for opening both clamps and the shear mechanism, and the other permitting the elastic thread clamp to close in advance of the shear mechanism.

7. In a knitting machine of the character described, a binder for holding the regular and the elastic threads in operative relation to the needles of the machine, said binder having a-pair of independently movable thread clamps for the respective threads and a shear action cooperable with said clamps, a lever mechanism for opening and closing both clamps and the shear action, respectively, a revoluble drum, cam lugs on the drum for operating the lever mechanism to open and close the regular thread clamp and the shear action without opening the elastic thread clamp, and an additional lug on the drum for opening the shear action and both clamps and permitting the elastic thread clamp to close in advance of the closing of the shear action.

8. In combination with a circular knitting machine constructed and arranged to knit hose with an elastic thread under tension in the cuff portion thereof, a binder comprising a pair of independently movable thread clamps, one for a regular thread and the other for the elastic thread, a shear action for severing the several threads, and means for opening and closing the clamps and the shear action, respectively, for clamping and cutting oil the several threads, the regular thread passing over the elastic thread clamp so as not to disturb the elastic thread as the regular thread is withdrawn from under the regular thread clamp during the knitting of the machine.

WALTER 0. SCHUKNECHT. 

